The present invention generally relates to perfumed ear attachments. More specifically, the present invention relates to clasp means for pierced-ear type ear attachments that can receive and transmit perfume to the skin of the wearer.
Perfumed earrings of various types have been disclosed in the prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,267,067 to Flagg a perfumed ear attachment is disclosed comprising a perforated receptacle that encloses a perfume-carrying medium. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,625,375 to Reyes an ear attachment is disclosed wherein perfume is disposed in a vial having a perforated cap. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,058,274 to Vivaudou et al. a perfumed earring is disclosed wherein perfumed particles are disposed in the earring. U.S. Pat. No. 2,471,949 to Gilowitz discloses an aromatic earring having a wick that communicates with perfume disposed within an ornamental receptacle. These earlier inventions were directed to providing perfuming means for the clip-on type earrings. A perfumed pierced-ear type earring is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,951 to Black.
A particular disadvantage of the perfumed earrings of the prior art is that they fail to provide means for the perfuming agent to come into contact with the skin of the wearer. The scent provided by a perfuming agent is affected by its chemical reaction with the human body. For this reason the same perfuming agent will emit a different fragrance when worn by different people. Also, the perfumed earrings of the prior art require that the ornamental portion of the earring be formed as a hollow member for receipt of the perfuming agent which prohibits the provision of a perfumed earring having a flat or petite body structure.
Furthermore, in the pierced-ear type earrings the detent sleeve oftentimes is formed as a cylindrical disk which lays flatly against the ear lobe. Pierced ears often become infected and the disk construction of the detent sleeve prevents the free flow of air about an infected ear lobe which would facilitate healing. Thus there remains a need in the art for an earring that will bring a perfuming agent in contact with the skin of the wearer that is suitable for use with earrings having a flat or petite structure and that further provides means for air flow about an infected pierced ear to promote healing.